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What a complete Core Lightning backup contains
Core Lightning stores wallet information in distinct pieces with different recovery purposes. Treating one file as a complete backup is a common and potentially expensive mistake.
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| Backup item | What it protects | What it cannot do |
|---|---|---|
hsm_secret or its mnemonic representation |
Keys for on-chain funds and node identity | It does not recreate current channel state or provide a complete recovery of funds still committed to channels. |
emergency.recover |
Static channel-recovery information that can help recover coins with peer cooperation | It is not a live channel database and is intended as a last resort. |
| Channel database (normally SQLite) | Detailed channel and commitment state needed for normal operation, updates and orderly closes | An inconsistent or stale copy may be unusable or omit state, and a database copy alone does not replace the secret. |
The official Core Lightning wallet-backup documentation warns: “Snapshot-style backups of the lightningd database is discouraged, as any loss of state may result in permanent loss of funds.” This is why a backup plan must cover both secrets and state.
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Identify the node before touching its files
Record the Core Lightning version, Bitcoin network, Lightning directory and wallet backend. The documented default for Bitcoin networks is ~/.lightning/${COIN}; a mainnet example is ~/.lightning/bitcoin. Installations often override this location, so verify the actual LIGHTNINGDIR used by your service or startup command rather than assuming the default.
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- Check the running daemon’s version and target upgrade version.
- Confirm whether the node is on mainnet, testnet, signet or another supported network.
- Locate the directory containing
hsm_secret,emergency.recoverand the database. - Determine whether the wallet uses SQLite or another backend and note any replication configuration.
- Ensure you have enough protected storage for the secret material and database copy.
Do not begin an upgrade while a channel operation, restart or repair is in progress. Make an inventory first, then preserve an untouched copy of every recovery item. Record file names exactly as they appear; a backup made from a similarly named test directory or a different network is not a substitute for the production wallet.
Back up the HSM secret
Nodes created with Core Lightning v25.12 or later
For new nodes created with v25.12 and later, the official guide describes the HSM secret as a 12-word BIP39 mnemonic. To display the readable secret, run the documented command against the node’s actual directory:
lightning-hsmtool getsecret $LIGHTNINGDIR/hsm_secretWrite the words down accurately and store them offline in a location protected from theft, fire and unauthorized access. An optional durable metal mnemonic plate can improve physical resilience, but it is not a substitute for protecting the words or for backing up channel state. If you use a plate or another physical medium, verify every word and its order before storing it.
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If you configured an HSM passphrase, preserve that passphrase separately and securely. Recovery then requires both the mnemonic and the exact passphrase. Losing either one can prevent reconstruction of the protected secret. Keeping the two items separately limits the damage from one misplaced copy, but make sure your recovery plan explains where each is held.
The exposesecret route is not universal. It requires the separately configured passphrase and is unavailable for passphrase-protected HSM secrets. Do not assume that an RPC command will reveal a secret merely because the daemon is running.
Older nodes created before v25.12
Earlier nodes store hsm_secret as a 32-byte binary file. The official backup instructions describe making a hexadecimal backup and reconstructing the binary file when needed. The HSM reference also documents codex32 as a legacy readable representation. Confirm the node’s generation and follow the matching procedure in the HSM Secret documentation; do not apply mnemonic commands to a legacy file or vice versa.
Anyone who obtains the necessary key material may be able to access funds. Never put the mnemonic, hexadecimal secret, codex32 data or an HSM passphrase in a ticket, chat message, unencrypted cloud note or repository. A database backup may be suitable for protected backup storage, but generic external storage does not make the secret safe and does not solve the consistency problem for channel state.
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Copy the current $LIGHTNINGDIR/emergency.recover file whenever the node has channels. Core Lightning updates this file when a new channel is opened, so an old copy may not cover the node’s current channel set. Include it in every scheduled backup cycle and after material channel changes.
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Static channel recovery is peer-assisted. It can help recover coins stuck in a channel only when counterparties cooperate, and it is intended as a last resort. The file does not contain the full, continuously changing operational state required for ordinary channel updates or cooperative closes. Keep it alongside the secret backup, but never treat it as a replacement for the database.
If the node has no channels, this file is not a substitute for the HSM backup. Continue protecting the HSM secret, and begin preserving the recovery file as soon as channels are opened.
Back up the channel database consistently
Recommended method: stop the daemon, then copy
For a normal SQLite installation, the safest straightforward procedure is an offline copy:
- Announce or schedule maintenance so no payments or channel operations are expected during the backup.
- Stop
lightningdusing the service manager or the same administrative method used to start it. - Wait until the process has fully exited. A command returning immediately is not proof that SQLite has finished writing.
- Copy the database file from
$LIGHTNINGDIRto protected backup storage. - Also preserve any SQLite journal or WAL sidecar files when the backend and documented procedure require them; the advanced guidance discusses these files.
- Record the backup time, Core Lightning version, network and exact source directory.
- Restart the daemon only after the copy has completed, then confirm it returns healthy.
Do not copy a live database casually while lightningd is writing. A file-level copy taken mid-transaction can be incomplete, internally inconsistent or missing channel state. Simply seeing a file at the destination does not prove that it is restorable.
The stopped-node method has a real operational cost: the node is unavailable during shutdown, copying and restart. That short maintenance window is usually preferable to an uncoordinated copy whose apparent freshness hides a broken transaction. If your service manager starts the daemon automatically, disable or account for automatic restart while the copy is being made so the process does not resume writing unexpectedly.
Replication and continuously updated copies
The Advanced DB Backup documentation describes configurations involving a secondary database file and real-time replication development. Replication can reduce backup lag and downtime, but it introduces implementation-specific timing and failure questions. A replica is not automatically guaranteed to contain the latest channel-state commitment at every instant.
Use a replication design only after reviewing the limitations for your Core Lightning version and backend. It also requires monitoring: you need to know whether replication is running, whether it is delayed and which copy is known to be consistent. Keep a known-consistent stopped-node backup even when replication is enabled.
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| Approach | Consistency | Freshness | Operational cost | Main failure mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stopped-node SQLite copy | High when shutdown completes and required sidecars are copied | Point-in-time; requires a maintenance window | Simple, with downtime | Forgetting a sidecar file or copying the wrong directory |
| Configured replica | Depends on replication implementation and lag | Can be near real time | More configuration and monitoring | Assuming the replica is current when it is not |
| Uncoordinated live file copy | Uncertain | Appears current but may capture a partial transaction | Convenient | Corrupt or unusable state, potentially permanent loss |
Choose based on the failure you are trying to avoid. A replica addresses backup lag, while an offline copy addresses transaction consistency. Neither removes the need to preserve the HSM secret and the latest emergency.recover file.
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Verify the backup before upgrading
- Confirm the HSM backup can be read and that every mnemonic word or legacy character is legible.
- Verify the HSM passphrase separately, without storing it beside the secret in plain text.
- Check that
emergency.recoverwas copied after the latest channel-opening activity. - Compare database file sizes and checksums between source and destination after the daemon has stopped.
- Open the backup storage using the account and media intended for an emergency restore; a backup you cannot access is not useful.
- Keep at least one copy offline and protected from accidental deletion or ransomware.
- Preserve the currently working Core Lightning installation and its configuration until the upgraded node has operated safely.
Do not test recovery by experimenting on the only copy or on a live production directory. Use a separate, appropriately isolated environment when a restoration test is possible. A restoration test should confirm that you can identify the correct network and directory, read the secret representation and locate the database and its required sidecars; it should not risk broadcasting transactions from a duplicate production identity.
Upgrade Core Lightning without losing rollback options
Use the same installation method for the upgrade that was used for the original installation, as described in the official Upgrade documentation. Read the release notes for the exact target version and check compatibility with your plugins, operating system and wallet backend.
Core Lightning states that upgrades often change the database and that, once the migration occurs, downgrades are generally not possible. Therefore:
- Complete and verify the secret, recovery-file and database backups.
- Record the currently installed binary, configuration and plugin versions.
- Stop the node cleanly if the installation procedure requires it.
- Install the target release using the established method.
- Start the node and monitor logs, RPC health, channels and payment behavior.
- Do not delete the old binary or untouched backup until the upgraded database has been validated.
The daemon normally rejects non-release upgrades unless database upgrades are explicitly enabled. Avoid enabling non-release database upgrades casually; do so only when the target build and its documentation make that requirement clear. An older binary kept on disk is not, by itself, a rollback: if the database has already migrated, the safe rollback plan is to restore the pre-upgrade database together with the prior software and configuration.
Restore a node after a failed upgrade or lost installation
Restore the secret representation that matches the node
Prepare a clean target Lightning directory and preserve an untouched copy of all recovery materials. For v25.12-and-later mnemonic-based nodes, the backup guide documents recovery through the recover RPC or recreation of hsm_secret with lightning-hsmtool generatehsm. Supply the same HSM passphrase when one was configured.
Legacy nodes require their legacy secret representation, including the documented hexadecimal or codex32 workflow where applicable. Do not convert formats by guesswork. Confirm the target network and directory before creating or restoring a secret, because placing valid key material in the wrong wallet directory can produce a confusing or unsafe recovery attempt.
Understand the recover precondition
The configuration reference states that recover fails when an hsm_secret file already exists. It also starts the node offline for manual recovery. Follow the exact procedure for your installed release and backend rather than overwriting a live file. The relevant reference is lightningd-config.
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Restore the channel database
Place the matching, verified database copy in the target Lightning directory using the procedure documented for that release and backend. Restore required journal or WAL files when the backup method captured them. Start the daemon only after ownership, permissions, network selection and configuration point to the intended directory.
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If the database is missing, stale or uncertain while channels remain open, mnemonic restoration alone is not a complete channel recovery method. The secret can recover on-chain key control, but ongoing channel commitments require the appropriate database state. Stop and preserve the remaining files, then follow Core Lightning’s recovery guidance and contact counterparties where static recovery requires their cooperation.
There are therefore three different outcomes to distinguish: restoring the HSM secret can recover control of on-chain outputs; restoring a consistent database can return the node to normal channel operation; and using emergency.recover may help with stuck channel funds only through the peer-assisted static-recovery process. Do not represent the first outcome as proof that the second has succeeded.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
“I copied lightningd.sqlite3, so I am covered.”
Not necessarily. The database does not replace hsm_secret, and a live copy may be inconsistent. Back up all three recovery components and make the database copy after a clean shutdown.
“The seed phrase restores every Lightning balance.”
The mnemonic or legacy secret controls on-chain keys. It does not recreate detailed channel state. Channels may require the matching database or, in a last-resort case, peer-assisted static recovery using emergency.recover.
“The emergency file is a second database.”
It is not. It is a peer-assisted safety mechanism, updated when channels open, and does not provide normal operational state.
“A downgrade will undo the migration.”
Core Lightning warns that database-changing upgrades generally cannot be downgraded. Keep the pre-upgrade installation and verified backups, and assume rollback means restoring the prior database and software environment rather than simply installing an older binary over the migrated data.
“A replica is always safe to promote.”
Replication freshness and commitment timing depend on the implementation. Monitor lag, understand its documented limitations and retain a known-consistent offline backup.
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Convenience can expose the most sensitive material unnecessarily. Keep the mnemonic or legacy secret and any HSM passphrase protected and, where practical, separate from ordinary operational copies. The database still needs its own consistency and access controls.
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Practical pre-upgrade checklist
- Version, network,
LIGHTNINGDIRand backend recorded. - Correct HSM format identified: v25.12+ mnemonic or legacy representation.
- Mnemonic or legacy secret stored offline; HSM passphrase stored separately.
- Current
emergency.recoverpreserved. lightningdstopped and fully exited before SQLite copying.- Database and required journal/WAL files copied and checked.
- Backup access and integrity verified without altering the originals.
- Old binary, configuration and recovery materials retained.
- Target release notes and non-release database-upgrade requirements reviewed.
- Recovery plan accounts for open channels and peer cooperation.
Sources and exact procedures
Use the official documentation for version-specific commands and backend details:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is copying lightningd.sqlite3 enough?
No. Protect the matching HSM secret and current emergency.recover as well. Copy the SQLite database only after lightningd has stopped, and preserve required journal or WAL sidecar files.
Can a 12-word seed restore funds in open channels?
It restores the HSM key material for on-chain control, but it does not recreate detailed channel commitments. Open channels normally require the matching database; static recovery is a peer-assisted last resort.
When should I copy emergency.recover?
Keep the current file whenever channels exist. Core Lightning updates it when a new channel is opened, so refresh the backup after channel-opening activity and before each upgrade.
Can I copy the database while the node is running?
An uncoordinated live file copy can capture a partial transaction or missing state. The straightforward safe method is to stop lightningd, wait for complete exit, copy the database and required sidecars, then restart.
What changes for a node created before v25.12?
Older nodes use a 32-byte binary hsm_secret. Follow the documented hexadecimal or codex32 workflow rather than mnemonic commands, and confirm the node generation before restoring.
Does an HSM passphrase change the backup?
Yes. Preserve the exact passphrase separately from the mnemonic or legacy secret. Recovery requires both, and exposesecret is unavailable for passphrase-protected HSM secrets.
Can I downgrade after Core Lightning migrates the database?
Generally not. Core Lightning warns that upgrades often change the database. Keep the prior software, configuration and verified pre-upgrade database so rollback means restoring the complete prior environment.
Is a replicated database automatically safe to promote?
No. Replication can have lag and implementation-specific timing limitations. Monitor its status, understand the documented limits and retain a known-consistent stopped-node backup.
The Bottom Line
A dependable Core Lightning upgrade backup has three parts: the correctly formatted HSM secret and any passphrase, the latest emergency.recover, and a database copy made after a clean shutdown. Verify that each can be accessed, retain the old software and database, and assume a migrated database cannot simply be downgraded.
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